With moments of joy and celebration, fatigue and failure; February came and flew by in a flash. After the black hole of time that paraded as January’s eternity, February did feel, for a moment, like a breath. Like the breath that you take before taking the next plunge, the weeks leading up to spring break.

Teacher Truth # 18 Laughter Leads to all Great Things

Somewhere, someone more motivated and precise has done exact experiments proving the scientific importance of laughter. If you don’t believe in the power of laughter, go read that literature first. Then, come talk to me as your classroom descends into chaos as dismissal extends somewhere and the full moon affects all. That level of chaotic absurdity will make anyone go insane, I think laughter is the best response, personally. This shit is fucking insane, how can you not laugh?

To laugh at the absurdity of it all, to accept the blissful chaos of the universe. When the student is handed a full sized donut by the cafeteria staff for “Tasting Tuesday” and you can see you math goals disintegrate before your very eyes, chuckle maybe – this is the February way.

Teacher Truth #19 Even the Longest Days Will End

Even when it’s noon and you can’t imagine one more minute fighting for the attention of feral adolescent ten year olds. Even the darkest, longest day end eventually, sometimes teaching means enduring those dark days. I thank the Greek and Roman Gods of Valentines and President’s for extra days off this month. With a four day week and some form of weird, awkwardly dismissed by me, celebration for Valentines day, this month has had its bright spots within the eternal doom and gloom. The cold with no snow, the four day weeks with a PD day, even the sick day full of fever and sleeping, will all eventually come to an end.

Teacher Truth # 20 Take the Damn Sick Day

“But I’m not on death’s bed, I could go in” I think to myself as I reach for my flu medicine, truly and utterly exhausted. I did end up taking the darn day off and you know what happened? They figured it out. Sure, was it probably a hot mess? For sure, but also I was so fatigued that bathroom breaks were a chore, gross.

Once I was able to forgive myself for being a human existing within my flesh prison, I was able to forgive myself for being sick and stop feeling guilty on my sick day. I had a glorious day in bed reading and sleeping and eating apple sauce. And it absolutely helped me heal my body and my soul to survive one more week. One week at a time. See you next month.